The Black Hole (1979)

Director:

Gary Nelson

Writers:

Jeb Rosebrook (story) and
Bob Barbash (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

21 December 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Family | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

A journey that begins where everything ends!

Plot:

A research vessel finds a missing ship, commanded by a mysterious scientist, on the edge of a black hole.

Plot Keywords:

Black Hole | Robot | Spaceship | Space | Reverse Footage

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 5 nominations

Cast

Maximilian Schell	...	Dr. Hans Reinhardt
Anthony Perkins	...	Dr. Alex Durant
Robert Forster	...	Captain Dan Holland
Joseph Bottoms	...	Lieutenant Charles Pizer
Yvette Mimieux	...	Dr. Kate McCrae
Ernest Borgnine	...	Harry Booth
Tom McLoughlin	...	Captain S.T.A.R. (Special Troops Arms Regiment) (as Tommy McLoughlin)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Roddy McDowall	...	V.I.N.CENT. (Vital Information Necessary CENTralized) (voice) (uncredited)
Gary Nelson	...	Drone with mask removed (uncredited)
Slim Pickens	...	Bob (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Gary Nelson

Writing credits
Jeb Rosebrook		(story) and
Bob Barbash		(story) &
Richard H. Landau		(story) (as Richard Landau)
Jeb Rosebrook		(screenplay) and
Gerry Day		(screenplay)

Produced by
Ron Miller	....	producer

Original Music by
John Barry

Cinematography by
Frank V. Phillips		(as Frank Phillips)

Film Editing by
G. Gregg McLaughlin		(as Gregg McLaughlin)

Production Design by
Peter Ellenshaw

Art Direction by
John B. Mansbridge
Robert T. McCall
Al Roelofs

Set Decoration by
Frank R. McKelvy
Roger M. Shook

Costume Design by
Bill Thomas

Makeup Department
Gloria Montemayor	....	hair stylist
Nadia	....	makeup artist
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup supervisor

Production Management
John D. Bloss	....	production manager (as John Bloss)
Christopher N. Seiter	....	unit production manager (as Christopher Seiter)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Christopher Disney Miller	....	second assistant director (as Christopher D. Miller)
Tom McCrory	....	assistant director
Joseph Paul Moore	....	second assistant director (as Joseph P. Moore)

Art Department
Robert Ayres	....	production illustrator
Leon Harris	....	production illustrator (as Leon R. Harris)
Gene Johnson	....	production illustrator
Fred Lucky	....	production illustrator
Wilbur L. Russell	....	property master

Sound Department
Wayne Allwine	....	sound effects editor (as Wayne A. Allwine)
Nick Alphin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Barney Cabral	....	dialogue replacement (as Bernard P. Cabral)
Norman Carlisle	....	dialogue replacement
George Fredrick	....	sound effects editor
Robert Hathaway	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Bob Hathaway)
Ben Hendricks	....	special sound effects (as Ben F. Hendricks)
John Jolliffe	....	sound effects editor (as John J. Jolliffe)
Stephen Katz	....	additional special sound effects
James MacDonald	....	special sound effects
Bud Maffett	....	sound mixer (as Henry A. Maffett)
Al Maguire	....	dialogue replacement
Joe Parker	....	sound effects editor (as Joseph Parker)
Frank Regula	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Frank C. Regula)
Herb Taylor	....	sound supervisor
Louis Terrusa	....	sound effects editor
John Van Frey	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bill Wylie	....	special sound effects (as William J. Wylie)

Special Effects by
Hal Bigger	....	assistant mechanical effects
Danny Lee	....	mechanical effects supervisor
Eric Allard	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Gary D'Amico	....	special effects (uncredited)
Hans Metz	....	special effects foreman (uncredited)
Mike Reedy	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Ken Speed	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Fred E. Branson	....	optical printer operator
Bob Broughton	....	optical photography coordinator (as Robert Broughton)
Art Cruickshank	....	director of miniature photography
Harrison Ellenshaw	....	matte artist
Harrison Ellenshaw	....	matte effects
Peter Ellenshaw	....	miniature effects creator
Peter Ellenshaw	....	miniature effects supervisor
Constantine Ganakes	....	assistant matte artist
Joe Hale	....	animation special effects
Ray O. Hoar	....	optical printer operator
Ted Kierscey	....	animator (as Ted C. Kierscey)
Bill Kilduff	....	operator: A.C.E.S.
Dorse A. Lanpher	....	animator
Eustace Lycett	....	composite optical photography
David Mattingly	....	assistant matte artist
Stephen McEveety	....	production assistant: miniatures unit (as Stephen M. McEveety)
Phil Meador	....	optical printer operator (as Philip L. Meador)
Arthur Miller	....	matte photography
Roger Redel	....	gaffer: miniatures unit (as Roger E. Redel)
Doc Reed	....	key grip: miniatures unit
Terence Saunders	....	chief model maker
Terence Saunders	....	miniature mechanical effects
Ed Sekac	....	matte photography
Robert R. Wilson	....	operator: A.C.E.S.
Thomas Baker	....	main title graphics (uncredited)
Mike Edmonson	....	special effects miniatures (uncredited)
Barry Seybert	....	graphic artist: opening titles (uncredited)

Stunts
Bill Couch	....	stunts
Howard Curtis	....	stunts
Len Glascow	....	stunts
Bob Herron	....	stunts
Billy Bob Jackson	....	stunts (as Billy Jackson)
Melvin Jones	....	stunts
Katee McClure	....	stunts
Stevie Myers	....	stunts
Terry Nichols	....	stunts
Alan Oliney	....	stunts
Ron Oliney	....	stunts (as Ronald Oliney)
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunts (as Conrad Palmisano)
Regina Parton	....	stunts
Don Pulford	....	stunts
Bobby Sargent	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Lloyd Ahern II	....	camera operator (as Lloyd N. Ahern)
Bernie Bayless	....	best boy (as Bernard F. Bayless)
Carl Boles	....	gaffer
Donald Capel	....	key grip
Howard Hagadorn	....	second grip (as Howard L. Hagadorn)
Robert LaBonge	....	first assistant camera
Cecil Wilson	....	second assistant camera (as Cecil R. Wilson)
Dan Delgado	....	lighting technician (uncredited)
Wynn Hammer	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Brian L. McCarty	....	video assist operator (uncredited)
Peter McEvoy	....	set lighting technician (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mary Dye	....	costumer
Chuck Keehne	....	costume supervisor
Jack Sandeen	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Nicholas Vincent Korda	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
John Barry	....	conductor
Evelyn Kennedy	....	supervising music editor
Helen Sneddon	....	music editor
Dan Wallin	....	music scoring mixer
Albert Woodbury	....	orchestrator (as Al Woodbury)

Other crew
George F. McGinnis	....	creator: robots
Tom McLoughlin	....	coordinator: sentry robots (as Tommy McLoughlin)
Sandy Nelson	....	script supervisor
Dana Winseman	....	video playback services (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Walt Disney Productions (presents)

Distributors

• Buena Vista Distribution Company (1979) (USA) (theatrical)
• Toho-Towa (1980) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Walt Disney Pictures (1980) (France) (theatrical)
• Abril Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2003) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Gativideo (Argentina) (video)
• Nothing's New Video (2005) (USA) (VHS)
• Suomi-Filmi
• Walt Disney Home Video (1981) (UK) (VHS)
• Walt Disney Home Video (1980) (USA) (VHS) (as Walt Disney Home Entertainment)
• Walt Disney Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• A.C.E.S. Automatic Camera Effects Systems (special effects photography)

Other Companies

• Continental Camera Systems  pitching lens relay systems by (as Continental Camera)
• Buena Vista Records  soundtrack

Also Known As:

Space Station One (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints) (RCA Photophone Sound Recording)

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Chile:TE | Finland:K-12 | Norway:12 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Canada:G (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Canada:PG (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (2004) | UK:A (original rating) | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Walt Disney Studios, Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Walt Disney Productions

Trivia:

Jennifer O'Neill was originally cast as Dr. Kate McCrae, but she was later replaced by Yvette Mimieux.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When B.O.B. and V.I.N.CENT are preparing to compete against the sentry robots in the shooting gallery, V.I.N.CENT makes a reference to US Navy Admiral David Farragut's famous quotation "Damn the torpedoes! full speed ahead!" B.O.B. replies, "He also said something about going in harm's way!" Admiral Farragut did not say this. Instead, it was Captain John Paul Jones, recognized as the father of the US Navy. Captain Jones's quotation was "I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast, for I intend to go in harm's way."

Quotes:

V.I.N.CENT: I don't mean to sound superior, but I hate the company of robots.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Space Chimps (2008)

Haunting and powerful to SF lovers: Completely underrated !

"Haunting" is exactly the term for it. I know others have knocked the silly robots and laser guns.

But I have always felt The Black Hole's spooky emotional impact, through the visuals and music. Although the visuals are now dated, what they were aiming for strikes true. It's a vision of the future that strikes a chord in me: dark uncaring space, the black hole a crushing force more powerful than the sun, ego and insane genius, science and what's beyond science, the horror of the old crew's fate. The music with its heavy repeated theme is like the crushing presence of the black hole itself: relentless. A new God if ever there was one.

In my opinion it has more emotional impact than Solaris, which threw in too much "murder mystery" and sort of confused me. The Black Hole is simple: it is clearly beyond knowledge and all the spookier for it.

If you get a thrill from the idea of scientific discovery, give this underrated film a chance. You won't be disappointed.